PART II: Efforts for the Policies for the Promotion of Shokuiku

Chapter 1: Shokuiku at Households

The percentages of students who eat breakfast every day was 84.8% for elementary school students and 79.7% for junior high school students.

Percentage of Students Who Eat Breakfast Every Day

Data Source: MEXT. (2018). National Assessment of Academic Ability.Note: Question: “Do you practice the following? Choose one answer that applies.” and “Do you eat breakfast every day?” Answers:  “Always,” “Usually,” “Rarely,” and “Never”

The MEXT and the National Institution for Youth Education collaborated to implement the “Early to Bed, Early to Rise, and Don‘t Forget Your Breakfast” partner schools program, which is being carried out in 13 areas nationwide. The program seeks to understand the actual lifestyle of junior high school students, identify problems therein, and implement creative efforts to solve those problems.

79.7

84.8

12.2

9.7

5.4

4.1

2.6

1.4

0 20 40 60 80 100

中学校３年生

小学校６年生

“ACHIEVE WITH BREAKFAST! A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABIT FOR ENERGETIC LIFESTYLE!”

Students taking “Lifestyle Habit Checks”

At Futtsu Municipal Sanuki Junior High School, Chiba Prefecture, diet and nutrition teachers [registered dietitian at schools] provided open classes on subjects such as the importance of breakfast and “Lifestyle Habit Checks” to help students develop healthy lifestyle habits. “Achieve With Breakfast! Enhance Your Energy Month” event has been organized by the student council, to call for improvement of lifestyle habits through programs such as plays.

Eat Breakfast Every Day

MHLW has, as a part of ”Healthy Parent and Children 21 (Second Phase)” aimed to resolve within maternal and child health, placed shokuiku for pregnant and parturient women as one of the main themes of public awareness. It has provided information, conducted research, and more.

The Cabinet Office launched “The Get Dads Cooking campaign” in fiscal 2017 to encourage men to take the opportunity to learn to cook as part of their housework and childcare duties.

Developing Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Children

Encouraging Shokuiku for Pregnant and Parturient Womenand Citizens in Child-Rearing Age Groups

Poster for “Shokuiku for Pregnant and Parturient Women”

(%)

SHOKUIKU EFFORTS AT JUVENILE REFORMATORIES According to a 2013 national survey conducted at juvenile 

reformatories, more than 40% of minors admitted to the facilities they “rarely ate” breakfast before entering the reformatories, showing severe disarray in their diet patterns.

The reformatories provide nutritionally balanced mealswith seasonal ingredients combine with the orderlylifestyle in the reformatories, help to develop life habitsfor a stable lifestyle once the minors leave the facilities.

The reformatories organize classes on shokuiku andharvest festivals.

How Frequent Minors Ate Meals Before Entering Reformatories, per Week

73.4

29.8

13.0

12.7

8.7

15.1

4.9

42.4

0 20 40 60 80 100

夕食

朝食

(%)

■Always ■Usually ■Rarely ■Never

Elementary School Students in the 6th Grade

Junior High School Students in the 9th Grade

■Almost every day ■4 or 5 days a week

■2 or 3 days a week ■Rarely

Breakfast

Dinner

Data Source: Ministry of Justice (2013). Survey on Diet.

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CaseStudy

Number of Diet and Nutrition Teachers in Public Elementary, Junior High Schools, Etc.

Chapter 2: Shokuiku in Schools, Childcare Centers, Etc.

21.2

23.7

22.4

23.3

23.4

26.1

25.0

25.7

25.1

25.8

26.9

26.9

25.8

26.4

20

22

24

26

28

30

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 (FY )

Local products

76.8

77.1

77.3

77.7

75.2

76.7

70

72

74

76

78

80

(%)

Domestic ingredients

Percentage of Using Locally Produced Food, Etc. in School Lunches

Data Source: MEXT. “Report on School Lunch Nutrition.”

Enhancing Shokuiku in Schools

34359

9861,897

2,663 3,379

3,8534,262

4,6245,023

5,3565,765

6,092

6,324

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

(Number of Teachers)

(FY)

Data Source: Until fiscal 2015: Health Education and Shokuiku Division, Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau, MEXT.2016 to present: MEXT. School Basic Survey.Note: “Public elementary, junior high schools, etc.” are elementary schools, junior high schools, compulsory education, secondary schools, and schools for special needs education.

The number of diet and nutrition teachers employed in public elementary schools, junior high schools, etc. was a total of 6,324 teachers nationwide (as of May 1, 2018). There is a need to promote further  allocation of diet and nutrition teachers.

the “Guidance on Food and Nutrition” instruction book for teachers has been revised in fiscal 2018 to meet the revisions of the National Curriculum Standards. 

Schools, being the core of efforts, in cooperation with households and producers and related organizations, implemented the “Integrated Shokuiku Promotion Project,” which aims to foster children’s ability to manage their diet. In fiscal 2018, a total of 7 project initiatives (at 13 model schools) were implemented nationwide.

School lunches are provided at 99.1% of all elementary schools and 89.9% of all junior high schools (as of May 2018).

In fiscal 2017, the national average for the use of domestically produced ingredients was 76.7%, and the usage rate of local produce was 26.4% (national average, by number of ingredients used).

The MEXT has launched the “Project to Address Social Issues via School Lunches” to advance further use of local produce in school lunches by developing new methodologies of food production, processing, and distribution, etc., and to roll out the best practices throughout the nation. 

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH NATURE TO CREATE DISCOVERY AND EXCITEMENT: AN INITIATIVE FOR SHOKUIKU

Systematic shokuiku efforts based on “guideline for childcare and education at the day care centre” for day care centre, the “National Curriculum Standards for Integrated Centers for Early Childhood Education and Care” for centers for early childhood education and care were performed as a part of childcare and educational activities.

BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO ADVANCE FARM TO TABLE IN SCHOOLS

At Kagamiishi Kindergarten of Kagamiishi Town, Fukushima Prefecture, toddlers grew colorful rice plants for the town’s renowned “Kagamiishi Rice Paddy Art” project. The kindergarten served a part of harvested in kindergarten meals to stimulate children’s interest in rice.

Children grew other vegetables as well. They had the opportunity to experience making pancakes topped with their harvested tomatoes and hoshi‐gaki [dried Japanese persimmons] in the kindergarten yard. Toddlers making pancakes in kindergarten

Promotion of Shokuiku for Preschool Children

Family cooking classes for traditional dishes

In working on the two issues related to school lunches, the encouragement of farm to table and the passing down of traditional food culture, the Board of Education organized the gathering of stakeholders where they exchanged opinions and share ideas.

The local government, producer groups, and school lunch facilities in each municipality have worked together to develop human ties and supply chains to incorporate local produce from neighboring areas into school lunches. They also planned and developed processed foods made from local produce, so the processed foods can be incorporated easily into school lunches.

The Board’s efforts have resulted in a rise in the percentage of local produce used in school lunches within all five municipalities in the Touyo community.

USING LOCALLY PRODUCE IN SCHOOL LUNCHES

3.5 million yen

23.65 million yen

40.25 million yen

50.61 million yen

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2012年度

2017年度

Locally Produced Others

Amount of Local Produce Used With the launch of the new Chubu school lunch supply center in 2013, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, has started the promotion of local production use in full force.

Small‐scale farmers have been approached by the school lunch supply center, and the use quantity and variations of vegetables used annually have been organized to resolve the issue of producers not knowing the quantity and specification of local produce used in school lunches. In fiscal 2017, “local production for local consumption coordinators” have also been dispatched.

As a result, the frequency and expenses used on local produce has increased significantly. This project has also contributed to increasing agricultural income in the area.

0 20 40 60 80 100 (%)

FY2012

FY2017

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The “Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top” was designed to help citizens take specific actions as specified by the “Dietary Guidelines for Japanese.” The guide has been disseminated and used through opportunities such as health promotion projects and shokuiku‐related events in the local communities.

The MHLW has implemented a “Preventing Diabetes Strategic Project” to create an environment that is helpful for citizens who are working to prevent diabetes. Hiroshima City has implemented efforts such as certifying stores and businesses that offer “Genki Jaken Set Meals” which offer healthy, nutritionally‐balanced meals at restaurants and employee cafeterias.

The MAFF provides relevant information on its website, so to enhance shokuiku efforts in communities which takes place in kodomo shokudō [Children’s Cafeterias].

The MHLW has sent notifications asking for cooperation in kodomo shokudō program  to the governments, community residents, welfare‐related staffs, and educators and announced food safety control tips.

Chapter 3: Shokuiku in Communities

“Genki Jaken Hiroshima 21”sticker for certified stores and organizations

PREFECTURE SUPPORTS CHILDREN’S CAFETERIA

Checklist for hygiene control at Children’s Cafeterias, attached to MHLW notifications

Kochi Prefecture has established a registration system called “Kochikekodomo shokudō” to roll out and support communications and fundraising of kodomo shokudō which could play  multiple roles in the community through providing meals.

In 2018, Kochi Prefecture concluded comprehensive agreements with local supermarkets to establish a scheme to supply food ingredients to kodomo shokudō.

“Eiyaka,” one of the registered facilities in Kochi City, opens kodomoshokudō every Wednesday, to provide a number of experiences to children so they can live independent lifestyles once they grow up. The participating children help prepare dinner clearing the table with adults.

The support from the prefecture enables kodomo shokudō to open regularly and offer quality meals and events.

Helping meal preparation (Eiyaka)

“Kochike” logo

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CaseStudy

In March 2017, the MHLW announced guidelines for meal‐delivering businesses from the viewpoint of nutrition management for elderly citizens in the community. In fiscal 2018, the ministry has created a collection of case studies by gathering successful cases of efforts performed by businesses and local governments under the same guidelines.

MHLW organized “39th Japan Dental Health Convention” in Tochigi Prefecture to promote shokuiku in dentistry and oral health. They have also supported efforts performed by the prefectures under the framework of the “8020 Campaign: Oral Health Promotion Program.”

MAFF gives assistance to shokuikumeasures that reflect local environments, to encourage the practice of the “Japanese Dietary Pattern.”

MHLW participated in the 11th Tokyo Shokuiku Fair to showcase chewing gum for measuring bite force

Japanese‐style meals incorporating ready‐made dishes and rice

TARGETING YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO PRACTICE WELL-BALANCED DIET!

Wakayama Prefecture promotes shokuiku on a prefecture level, by formulating its Prefectural Plan, “Eat and Energize: Wakayama Prefecture’s Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku.”

Considering the fact that the younger generations tend to have imbalanced diet, universities in Wakayama Prefecture organized courses for disseminating “Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top: Wakayama Edition” intending to establish well‐balanced  diet based on Japanese‐style cuisine.

Furthermore, Wakayama Prefecture designed and created food education plastic document sleeves with its public announcement characters printed on the front and traditional local dishes on the back. The town distributed the document sleeves throughout elementary schools in the town, so the elementary school students can enjoy learning about the “KishūWakayama Prefecture:  Food Guide" and use the acquired knowledge in their daily lives.

Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top: Wakayama Edition printed on an A4 plastic document sleeve

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CaseStudy

Diet improvement dissemination “Plus 1 Dish” logo

Diet improvement dissemination campaign “Minus 2 grams” logo

Diet improvement dissemination campaign 

“With Milk”  logo

“200 grams of Fruits Every Day!” logo

Food‐related business operators, etc. performed shokuiku efforts as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. They undertook a wide range of shokuikuinitiatives, including hosting visits to factories/shops; manufacturing, cooking, and agricultural, forestry, and fishery experiences; provision of shokuiku information in stores; shokuiku classes; and on‐demand classes.

The MHLW implemented the “Smart Life Project” in partnership with companies, private entities, and local governments. Activities under a series of annual diet improvement campaigns were performed such as “One More Vegetable Dish for a Day,” which is aimed at meeting the target of a vegetable intake of at least 350 g, and “Tasty Meals with Minus 2 Grams of Salt per Day,” as well as “With Milk, for Daily Life.”

In partnership with producer groups, MAFF is encouraging citizens to eat more fruits at households and in school lunches, etc. through the “200 Grams of Fruits Every Day!” campaign.

The shokuiku volunteer members including diet improvement promotion members   implemented community‐based shokuikuactivities.

LEARNING ABOUT SHOKUIKU AND LOW–SALT DIET THROUGH FISH COOKING

The Hitachinaka City Diet Improvement Promoters Liaison Council of Ibaraki Prefecture organized shokuiku classes for elementary school students and their parents. Each participant filleted a sardine with their own hands and enjoyed quizzes on fish and low‐salt diet.

The council held the “Fish Recipes We Can’t Wait to Cook: Blessings from the Sea” contest, to introduce easy fish recipes for the younger generation. The winning recipes are collected and published on the website.

Children experience sardine ｆilleting

“Smart Life Project” logo

Tasty Meals with Minus 2 Grams of Salt per Day

milk

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CaseStudy

MAFF held the “13th National Convention on Promotion of Shokuiku in Oita” in June 2018, as a core nationwide event during the Shokuiku Month of June. The convention is scheduled to take place in Yamanashi Prefecture for fiscal 2019.

The MAFF has conferred the “2nd Shokuiku Activity Awards” and other related awards.

Up to now, all prefectures have created the Prefectural Plans for the Promotion of Shokuiku. As a result of awareness campaigns, 84.8% of  local municipalities have created the Municipal Plans for the Promotion of Shokuiku and the percentage is increasing steadily.

MAFF has put together the points to bear in mind during creation and revision of Municipal Plans for the Promotion of Shokuiku in September 2018, and once again requested the prefectures to create or revise their plans.

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“THE 13TH NATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE PROMOTION OF SHOKUIKU IN OITA”

Chapter 4: Expansion of Shokuiku Campaign

Percentages of Prefectures and Municipalities that Have Created Plans for the

Promotion of Shokuiku

85.1

100 100

4.1

25.537.3

39.5 58.2

65.371.5

76.0

76.7

78.1

79.3

84.8

0

20

40

60

80

100

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 (FY)

Data Source: MAFF. Survey by the Consumer Affairs and Shokuiku Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, The same survey was conducted by the Cabinet Office until fiscal 2015.

Preparation Rate of the Municipal Plans, by Prefectures

Preparation Rate Number of Prefectures

100% 19

-75% 18

-50% 8

Below 50% 2

Data Source:MAFF. Survey conducted by the Consumer Affairs and Shokuiku Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau. (March 31, 2019). Note:1) The “Preparation Rate” indicates the percentage of municipalities that have prepared Municipal Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku within the total number of municipalities within the prefectures.2) 1,476 municipalities have prepared their Municipal Plans for the Promotion of Shokuiku.

ENCOURAGING SHOKUIKU USING THE LOCAL PRODUCED PEARL BARLEY

Fukusaki Town, Hyogo Prefecture practices shokuiku based on their “Second Basic Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku and Health.”

The town has created a slogan using acronym for its regional specialty pearl barley, so that town residents can feel the plan more familiar.

Furthermore, the town positions nutritious and high‐fiber pearl barley as a symbol of its food and agricultural education and food culture and serves pearl barley rice and pearl barley bread for school lunches. 

In the theme “Gather to Talk Shokuiku: Delicious! Fun! Vibrant Oita,” 111 organizations nationwide exhibited their booths, petting zoos with calf and fish, cooking classes for traditional local dishes and more.

The “Long Table” event was also held, to create opportunities in raising awareness on the importance of eating together. The participants enjoyed kyōshoku [eating together] with traditional dishes such as dango‐jiru [dumpling soup] and yaseuma [sweet dumplings]. Participants eating together at the “Long Table”

“Shokuiku Slogan” using pearl barley motif

(%)

Prefectures

Municipalities

Article

CaseStudy

MAFF has implemented support for activities providing first‐hand experience of the agriculture, forestry and fishery like as that of  education farms.

MAFF has established frameworks to welcome participants and disseminate information on nōhaku [countryside stays]. The participants stay in rural areas whose economy is based on agriculture, forestry or fisheries while experiencing Japanese traditional lifestyle and communication with local residents.

MAFF has promoted the “Farming Village for City Children Program”, in which children stay in rural areas whose economy is based on agriculture, forestry or fisheries to experience agriculture to experience  .

Chapter 5: Interactions between Producers and Consumers, and Vitalization of Environment-Friendly Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and OtherPractices

CURRY RICE FARMING - CHILDREN EXPERIENCE FARMING TO FORK THROUGH CURRY RICE

Furusato Farm, an agricultural corporation in Hokkaido Prefecture, offers agricultural experience programs for elementary school students in challenging natural environments throughout the year to educate them on the importance of food.

During May and October, Children experience each and every stage of farming, from seed sowing to harvesting and rice polishing. Children finish their farming season with the harvest festival where they cook and eat curry rice together.

Elementary school students planting onions

To promote farm to table, the ministry has established the “Farm to Table Best Practice Awards,” trained and dispatched “Farm to Table Coordinators,” and has provided assistance for the development of processing facilities for agricultural produce and farmers’ market.

BUILDING HEARTLY RELATIONSHIPS BY BRINGING PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS TOGETHER

“Plum Day” event on June 6th

Best Practice Awards(Wakayama Prefecture Kashima High School)

Promotion of Agriculture, Forestry, or Fishery Experiences

Promoting Farm to Table

“Nōhaku Portal” website

Sanbu Vegetable Network in Chiba Prefecture values communication with consumers and offers “Vegetable School,” an organic agricultural experience program for families. Participants can sow, weed, harvest, and sample vegetables in season.

Children have the opportunity to become interested in vegetables through various experiences at fields including harvesting funny‐shaped two‐legged radishes, that caused laughter and smiles among children.

Eating freshly harvested vegetables

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CaseStudy

CaseStudy

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CERTIFYING RESTAURANTS THAT RECOMMEND FINISHING UP THE PLATE (TABEKIRI)

Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture has been registering restaurants, etc. that encourage reducing left‐over food as “Tabekiri Participating Businesses.” As of 2018, there are more than 800 participating restaurants.

Participating restaurants offer special services such as offering small‐portion menus and doggy bags on request. The restaurants also make efforts to reduce generation of food scraps and display distributed stickers, etc. to raise consumers’ awareness towards finishing up their plates. Public service announcement character “Io”

for “Yokohama 3R Dream! [reads ‘slim’]”

“Sugutabe‐kun” poster

“Seven Day Challenge!Food Loss Diary”

Reducing Food Loss and Waste Changes in Japan’s Self-Sufficiency Rate

Data Source: MAFF. Food Balance Sheet.

Japan’s self‐sufficiency rate for fiscal 2017 was 38% (calorie intake basis), however, 6.43 million tons of food was wasted in fiscal 2016.

In September 2015, the UN Summit adopted “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” for new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within the Goal 12 “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” of 17 Goals, there is an international target of halving per capita food loss and waste (FLW) at the retail and consumer level and reducing FLW along production and supply chains.

The Cabinet approved the “4th Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material‐Cycle Society” approved in June 2018. The Plan sets halving of FLW from households by fiscal 2030 when compared to fiscal 2000. FLW waste from businesses sector is to be discussed in the review of the basic policy of the “Food Recycling Law.” 

To deepen consumer's understanding of FLW, MAFF has created public service announcement materials such as posters, to distribute to retailers which carried out awareness‐raising activities in cooperating facilities nationwide.

The Ministry of the Environment has introduced the public service announcement character “Sugutabe‐kun,” which can be used to promote purchasing products in the order in which they are displayed at stores and the “Seven Days Challenge! Food Loss Diary,” which enables users to record the quantity of FLW in their everyday life.

“You can also reduce food waste by buying” poster, created by MAFF, is displayed at a grocery store

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Self-Sufficiency Rate for All Food Products(Based on Production Value)

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Look for my sticker!

CaseStudy

Chapter 6: Activities for the Inheritance of Japanese Food Culture

MAFF offers classes and other learning opportunities for younger generations, workshops for families, parents and expecting parents, and training for nutritionists, childcare workers, etc. under the theme of Japanese cuisine.

In the “Third All‐Japan Children’s Washoku King Contest,” held by MAFF, elementary school students compete to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, as well as drawing pictures traditional Japanese cuisine of traditional Japanese cuisine.

MAFF has extended support so that sustainable efforts to rediscover of traditional ingredients, etc. such as those found in local dishes and traditional vegetables, with the cooperation of local governments, agriculture, forestry, and  fishery operators and food‐related businesses.

“Let’s! Wagohan Project” logo

Commemorating the 5th anniversary of the washoku culture‘s registration to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, MAFF has launched the “Let’s! Wagohan Project” which promotes governments and washoku‐related businesses to cooperate in offering opportunities for children and busy parents to take wagohan [Japanese meals].

Under the project, food manufacturers and distributors developed products for easy‐to‐prepare recipes that they have developed, meal suppliers developed wagohan ready‐made meals and pre‐packaged box lunches, and restaurants developed wagohanmenus for children, etc.

The “Let’s! Wagohan Project” members displayed wagohan products in a supermarket.

“LET’S! WAGOHAN PROJECT”: FAMILIAR, EASY, AND HEALTHY WAGOHAN (JAPANESE MEALS)

“Overall Gold Award” winning  work for the “Washoku Painting Category” in “Third All‐Japan Children’s Washoku King Contest “

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Commemorating the “Meiji 150th” event, MAFF has released information related to diet during the Meiji Era and beyond in the “13th National Convention on Shokuiku Promotion in Oita,” “Consumer Room,” and the “57th MAFF ‘Harvest Festival’ for fiscal 2018,” etc.

Symposium “The 150‐year History of Meiji Era, at Our Dining Tables”(“13th National Convention on Shokuiku Promotion in Oita”)

PASSING DOWN VALUABLE TRADITIONAL FOOD CULTURE THROUGH SHOKUIKU ACTIVITIES IN THE “GOSEKKU PROJECT”

Since 2015, The Washoku Association of Japan has organized the annual “Savoring Japanese Cuisine Through Dashi” event around “Washoku Day” on November 24th, to promote Japanese‐style school lunches in elementary schools, junior high schools, and childcare centers nationwide.

In addition to this effort, the organization has started the “Gosekku Project” [five festivals project] from fiscal 2018, which promotes the value of the washoku culture through the seasonal festivals.

The project intends to rediscover the washoku food served in the five seasonal festivals and once again introduce them to dining tables, restaurants, ready‐made meals, and school lunches.

For fiscal 2018, the organization organized classes on the origin of shichiseki (July 7th) and choyo (September 9th) festivals and their relationship with washoku, introduced creative dishes and washoku linked to these festivals. At the annual “1204 Washoku Session”, lectures on the jinjitsu (January 7th) and joushi (March 3rd) festivals were held, and information on local cuisine, sake, and Japanese sweets was also provided. 

“Gosekku Project” logo

Japanese traditional sweets, nerikiri, suggested for the “Jinjitsu” seasonal festival on January 7th

*Gosekku (the Five Festivals) are jinjitsu (January 1), joushi (March 3), tango (May 5), shichiseki (July 7), and choyo (September 9). A sekku is a day in which seasonal ingredients are used to prepare festival foods, which are offered to the gods before being shared and eaten to wish for the sound health of family and friends. 

CaseStudy

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Chapter 7: Information Provision on Food Safety, Nutrition, and Other Related Matters

NUTRITION LABELLING AS AN ESSENTIAL INFORMATION SOURCE FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

As one of many approaches toward risk communications concerning food safety, CAA, FSCJ, MHLW and MAFF worked together to organize opinion exchange meetings.

In helping consumers to make their own purchasing decisions, the CAA cooperated with relative agencies to provide accurate information on food safety.

In October 2018, the Japanese Society of Allergology launched a website as a subsidized project of MHLW, which enhances information offered for food allergies and other allergy‐related disorders.

“Allergy Portal” website

With the enforcement of the Food Labelling Act, the CAA has been performing efforts to raise awareness and improve understanding of the new mandatory nutrition labelling among consumers and business operators.

The grace period for the new Act ends at the end of fiscal 2019. The CAA created leaflets to notify business operators of the new mandatory labelling, and also held briefings on the new nutrition labelling system across the nation.

For consumers, CAA has created the five‐volume awareness materials “Using Nutrition Labelling” to support their healthy lifestyles. They have also created a collection of slide shows that can be used in  training classes for learners with different attributes in various regions.

By helping consumers to make the use of nutrition labelling, CAA continues to develop an atmosphere with high awareness towards food labelling and to promote its healthcare use.

An example of awareness‐raising material“Using Nutrition Labelling 1”

Article

MEXT published the “Supplementary Edition 2018” to “Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan‐2015‐(Seventh Revised Edition).” It added and revised the composition values for 118 foods (including 59 newly listed foods.)

MHLW conducted the annual “National Health and Nutrition Survey” to learn about the state of citizens’ health, their nutritional intake, and their lifestyle habits. The main focus of the 2018 survey was the socioeconomic status of citizens including their income.

In December 2018, the SDGs Promotion Headquarters established the “SDGs Action Plan 2019.” The 2019 Plan sets “Promotion of Shokuiku” in one of its priority issues,  “Empowerment of all citizens,” of the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Implementation Guiding Principles.”

Chapter 8: Surveys, Studies, and Other Efforts

INTRODUCING THE APPEALS OF JAPANESE FOOD AND CULTURE THROUGH “JAPONISMES 2018”

The year 2018 marked the 160th anniversary of the establishment of Japan‐France diplomatic relations. At “Japonismes 2018: les âmes en resonance  (the Souls in Resonance)”, a showcase of Japanese culture jointly conceived by Japanese and French governments, the Japan Foundation developed three series of programs  for “Learning / Considering / Discovering Japanese Culinary Culture”.

The “Learning” series offered open and informative workshops on Japanese food culture, targeted towards a broad scope of participants from the general public to chefs‐in‐training.

The Exhibition “Creative Travel to Japan” in the “Considering” series displayed agricultural products from regions such as Fukushima Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture and the Kansai region, along with  food and drinks tasting.

The “Discovering” series established a special month to provide Japanese tea cocktails and sweets at a total of 15 cafes and bars mainly within the city of Paris, presenting the potential  to enjoy Japanese tea more casually in France.

Teenagers enjoying preparation of okonomiyakiin “Learning” series

“Japonismes 2018” Official logo

The “Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan” poster

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CaseStudy

Part III: Evaluating Goals and Progress of Shokuiku Promotion Efforts

Values in Fiscal 2015, When the Third Plan 

Was Created

Current Values(FY2018)

Target Values(FY2020)

1.     Percentage of citizens who are interested in shokuiku 75.0% 76.0% 90% or more

2.  Number of kyōshoku [breakfast or dinner taken together with family members] 9.7 times/ week 10.0 times/ week11 or more times/ week

3. Percentage of citizens participated in  kyōshoku in their communities, etc. at their request

64.6% 77.6% 70% or more

4. Percentage of children who skip breakfast 4.4% 5.5% 0%

5. Percentage of young citizens who skip breakfast 24.7% 26.9% 15% or less

6. Percentage of junior high schools that provide school lunches 87.5%(FY2014)

93.2% 90% or more

7. Percentage of using locally produced food in school lunches 26.9%(FY2014)

26.4%(FY2017)

30% or more

8. Percentage of domestic ingredients used in school lunches 77.3%(FY2014)

76.7%(FY2017)

80% or more

9. Percentage of citizens who eat at least two well‐balanced meals consisting of staple food, main dish, and side dishes almost every day

57.7% 58.6% 70% or more

10. Percentage of young citizens who eat at least two well‐balanced meals consisting of a staple food, main dish, and side dishes almost every day

43.2% 39.7% 55% or more

11. Percentage of citizens who routinely practice healthy diet in which they take care to maintain a proper weight and limit salt intake in order to prevent or treat lifestyle diseases

69.4% 67.7% 75% or more

12. Number of food companies registered as striving to reduce salt and fat in their food products

67 companies(FY2014)

103 companies(FY2016)

100 companies or more

13. Percentage of citizens who take time to eat and chew well. 49.2% 50.2% 55% or more

14. Number of citizens involved in volunteer groups etc. that are engaged in the promotion of shokuiku

344,000(FY2014)

356,000(FY2017)

370,000 or more

15. Percentage of citizens (households) who have had agriculture, forestry or fishery experience

36.2% 37.3% 40% or more

16. Percentage of citizens who take action to reduce food loss 67.4%(FY2014)

71.0% 80% or more

17. Percentage of citizens who have received and pass on traditional cuisine and table manners from their communities or families 

41.6% 49.6% 50% or more

18. Percentage of young citizens who have received and traditional cuisine and table manners from their communities or families 

49.3% 66.3% 60% or more

19. Percentage of citizens who have the basic knowledge on food safety and are able to make appropriate decisions based on it

72.0% 77.0% 80% or more

20. Percentage of young citizens who have the basic knowledge on food safety and are able to make appropriate decisions based on it

56.8% 67.3% 65% or more

21. Percentage of municipalities that have created and implemented the Municipal Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku

76.7% 84.8% 100%

Data SourcesFor 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20:

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Survey on Attitudes Towards Shokuiku (Annual).For 4: National Assessment of Academic Ability.For 6: Survey of School Lunch Provision.For 7, 8: Report on School Lunch Nutrition.For 12: Number of companies registered for the “Smart Life Project.”For 14: Shokuiku Promotion Office, Cabinet Office (FY2014).

Consumer Affairs and Shokuiku Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, MAFF (FY2017).For 15: Survey on Diet and Agriculture, Forestry, and fisheries Experiences”For 16: The Basic Survey on Consumer Life (FY2014).

Survey of Consumer Attitudes: Survey on Awareness and Efforts Taken for the Food Waste Reduction (FY2018).For 21: Shokuiku Promotion Office, Cabinet Office (FY2015). Consumer Affairs and Shokuiku Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau,

MAFF (FY2018).Note: The goals that have been achieved are colored in blue.

Comparing the target value of the current promotion of shokuiku, the survey for the current fiscal year shows that the target for “Percentage of citizens participated in  kyōshoku in their communities, etc. at their request”, “Percentage of junior high schools that provide school lunches,” “Number of food companies registered as striving to reduce salt and fat in their food products,” “Percentage of young citizens who have had traditional dishes and table manners that form part of their community or family heritage passed on to them” and “Percentage of young citizens who have the basic knowledge on food safety and are able to make appropriate decisions based on it” have already been achieved.

The percentage of municipalities that have created and implemented their promotion plans is steadily increasing. However, some issues, such as the percentage of children who skip breakfast, remain on the agenda.

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